Leith Mullings

Welcome to the publication, “Representations.” This is a project designed to bring the perspectives of a wider variety of groups to the forefront of the anthropology classroom. To celebrate Black History Month, we are covering the accomplishments of 28 Black anthropologists across 28 days. Learn more about our project; read on for the amazing accomplishments of Leith Mullings.

The late Leith Mullings was a prolific writer and leader within the field of anthropology. Mullings led the American Anthropological Association from 2011–2013 and — under her leadership — the organization addressed pressing issues that faced anthropologists and informants, alike. In all, Mullings’ work and legacy reflect a commitment to the belief that good anthropological research and leadership can lead to better outcomes for everyone.

The Association of Black Anthropologists calls Mulling a “scholar-activist” as her work encompassed a vision that, “the future of the discipline lay in collaborative and engaged scholarship, something her own life’s work exemplified.” Modern anthropologists and anthropologists-in-training who seek to fuse together meaningful anthropological research with meaningful cultural change can look to the legacy of Leith Mullings as guidance and inspiration.

Mullings advocated for an anthropology that was accessible for everyone (Bolles 2001); she critiqued our field…